’Tis the season to use creative narratives to celebrate togetherness and highlight the need for kindness on Christmas. And hitting the sweet spot for us right now is a holiday campaign from supermarket brand Migros, featuring the world’s most adorable delivery drone – Robin.
Switzerland-based Migros has a reputation for coming up with cute ads for the holidays. Some of its past offerings have included a lost baby owl trapped inside a Christmas tree and the secret life of the elves responsible for the beeping noises that supermarket scanners make.
This year, the spotlight is on Robin, an animated delivery drone that is arguably more human than a great many humans.
On its way to deliver groceries, Robin notices a widowed old lady sitting alone in her home while a family next door is celebrating Christmas together. Sneaky ol’ Robin decides to intervene by “mis-delivering” a package and bringing the neighbors together. The ad ends with a poignant message that no one should be left alone at Christmas.
The campaign is one of the many initiatives that Migros has taken this year to combat social isolation that has worsened for many older people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this year, the retailer commissioned an online survey on the topic of loneliness in Switzerland. Of the 1,028 people who responded, 13% said they were afraid of having to spend the end of the year holidays alone, 18% reported spending their weekends alone, and 25% wished they had acted differently in the past to be less alone today.
So now, Migros is sharing ideas to make new acquaintances and strengthen community ties. There’s “Tavolata” – an Italian term meaning “table” – where people gather to cook, eat, and have a good time together. There’s “Tandem at the Museum,” where you experience culture together with a free museum guide. The supermarket chain is also promoting story-telling cafés where people from very diverse backgrounds share their stories and life experiences.
And then there’s Migros Christmas Mail, an initiative promoted by our favorite Christmas delivery drone, Robin. You use an online card generator to leave a little note for someone who’s going to spend the next few weeks alone, and a network of 500 non-profit elderly care organizations gets your printed postcard to them IRL. You can also opt-in to receive a response from the recipient.
Meanwhile, in Australia, on-demand residential drone delivery service Wing has been spreading Christmas cheer through free “The Elf on the Shelf” toy deliveries. Read all about Wing’s initiative here.
Read more: ‘Christmas Capital of Texas’ has two drone shows planned for December
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